Bequest
by Teddy R. Lupin
Summary: Connor Sullivan is a sixteen-year-old boy living in Star City with no memory of his father.  He is a computer-savvy martial artist with a passion for journalism, archery...and justice.  But everything that he thought he knew was about to change.
1. I Get Captured

Hey! This is my second attempt at a _Smallville_ story, since I don't think the first one went over too well. And when I went back to read it...well, I understand why. I wasn't the best at describing things, and Chloe and Oliver were both OOC. I think it sounded a lot better in my head.

Anyway...this is called _Bequest_. I'm sorry if the title's cheesy, but_ Legacy_ is already a title for a _Smallville_ episode.

I don't own _Smallville_. If I did, you'd be seeing my name in the beginning, right after the opening credits.

And another thing...though this is posted as a Oliver/Chloe story, it definitely isn't at first. I mean...it sort of is, and sort of isn't. But either way, you'll get some Chlollie scenes more towards the end.

-SMALLVILLE-

_One…two…three…four…five…_

I tried not to count the seconds in my mind as all the blood rushed to my head. My eyes closed, I focused on keeping my thin body straight, my feet sticking into the air, my long blond hair brushing against the floor.

"And down," I heard my martial arts master say from the other side of the room. I bent down and landed lightly on my feet, standing upright. He gave me a small smile, the most he ever did, which I took to mean that he was impressed. "Your natural talent continues to amaze," he told me as I reached for a towel that hung on the bar to my right. "I've never taught a student at your age with your skill and endurance."

The only thing I could really do was smile. I'd never known exactly what to say. He'd always been impressed with my agility, and he'd been telling me the same thing since I'd started when I was a little kid.

"Thank you, sir," I responded, wiping my sweaty forehead with the towel and brushing my hair out of my brown eyes. Pulling on a t-shirt, I shook my head and sighed.

"Something's bothering you, Connor." I would've faked a smile and said that everything was all right, but Conroy would've seen right through me anyway. Not only had he taught me martial arts for years, but he had been a family friend for even longer.

"It's nothing," I muttered, pulling a jacket on over my t-shirt. He opened his mouth, but before he could utter any words of comfort, I said, "Look…Conroy…I know you mean well. But no matter what anyone says…it doesn't change the way things are. I don't know my father. That's not going to change." He smiled sadly.

"I wish I knew something more to tell you," the older man said after a silent moment. His brown hair was streaked with grey, and from what I knew, his early life had been scarred by death and destruction.

After my mother and I had moved to Star City when I was young, he had taken us under his wing. I'd heard the story a million times. My parents had been together when I was young…but their relationship never worked out. Mom took me and left. I never saw my dad again. Mom and Conroy had a lot in common. Both their lives had led them down paths they had never wanted to follow…but they followed them anyway, because they thought the world would be better for it. Their friendship never grew into anything else, but he remained our guide and protector.

"But I never knew him, Connor," he said with his smile that was ever-present. For a moment, if that, I wanted to tell him that he was lying. Of course he knew him. How could he not? But that thought was dismissed with the next second. Why would Conroy lie to me? He had nothing to gain.

"I know," I said quietly. I looked towards the door, where I saw the remnants of the day's light fading behind the city, and then back up at the clock on the wall of his modest studio. "It's getting late…I should go." Just as I turned to leave, the door already halfway open, I turned back. "Conroy…thanks."

He looked at me, an eyebrow half-raised in surprise. "For what?"

I looked down, almost ashamed. (Why the hell was I ashamed?) I shrugged carelessly. "For everything."

-SMALLVILLE-

As I approached the modest suburban home that my mother and I lived in, my instincts immediately told me that something was wrong. I just had…a gut feeling…that something wasn't quite right.

I mean…okay. Yeah, I'm not going to say that standing alone in the middle of a street in Star City isn't even the slightest bit creepy, because it definitely is. But what bothered me…is that I wasn't alone. I could just feel it. I wasn't afraid. A third-degree black belt, scared of being on a deserted street? Yeah, right.

But…I looked around. It certainly seemed like I was alone. I brushed blond hair out of my eyes and frowned. The trees seemed to sway in the night…almost at my command. I heard the occasional cricket, but nothing to suggest that there was another human being following me. I narrowed my eyebrows and turned back to my house. My mom's car was in the driveway, which was a good sign.

I took out my keys, but when I made to unlock the door, it was already open. Another frown appeared on my face. Mom never left the door unlocked. I cautiously walked in, silently closing the door behind me. I scanned the living room. Everything seemed to be in order.

"Mom?"

No answer. I took my cell phone out of my pocket and fingered the name 'Clark Kent' in my contacts. But after a moment, I gritted my teeth and shoved the phone back into my pocket. There was no point in disturbing a superhero for what was probably only a false alarm.

"Mom?" I called again. I still only got silence in return. Swinging back around, I headed up the stairs. Opening the door to her room, I swallowed. But her bed was made, her pajamas laid out for when she came home.

If her car hadn't been in the driveway…I would've thought that she wasn't home yet.

My eyes scanned the rest of the room. The door to the bathroom was slightly ajar…and the light was on. I bit my lip and slowly walked over to it, my legs trembling. For a second, I listened at the door. There didn't seem to be any movement at all. I pushed the door open and looked around. No sign of my mother. I frowned deeply, picking up a toothbrush. I felt the head…it was still wet. She had been here.

But where she was now…harder to answer.

"Mom…" I whispered. My eyes widened as I realized that someone must have been following me. My mother had been kidnapped…and I was probably going the same way. I took a deep breath and set the toothbrush back on the counter, leaving the room.

As I walked down the stairs, I listened for any possible sound coming from inside (or outside) the house. I stepped into the living room again. This time…I saw something wrong. Mom's computer was on. It hadn't been on before. I slowly brought myself closer to it.

"Careful, Connor," I breathed to myself. "This is when the undead guy comes out of the closet with a chainsaw and kills you." I sat down in front of it, tapping my fingers on the desk, swallowing visibly. "Okay, cue the creepy music now." For a window had opened…almost like a video chat.

I mean, I'm all for Skype, but…somehow I got the feeling it was less "let's connect" and more "let's fight."

"Hello?" I said. (Okay. Yeah. I know what you're thinking. Not smart, dude. Not smart. But hey, whoever said I was a genius?)

"Connor?" a weak voice whispered from the video feed. My eyes widened, my jaw dropping. The voice was faint, but I would know it anywhere. My only family.

"Mom, is that you?"

"Connor, listen to me," she said. The connection was mostly static, like a radio station when you're high in the mountains. But I got the gist. "You've got to get out of there now."

"What?" I said dumbly. I barely understood what she was trying to tell me, much less what it would mean for me later.

"Get out of the house," she said urgently. Her face came into view, her short blond hair messy, her face carrying a few small scrapes. "They caught me. Don't let them get to you."

"Who?" I said loudly. And then hearing my voice echo down the hall, I winced. If these people that my mom were talking about hadn't found me yet…they would've heard.

"It doesn't matter." I was about to protest, but her glare silenced me. "Get to the Queen towers. Once you're there, call Clark."

"The Star City towers?" I asked incredulously. "Mom-"

"Connor Robert, you need to trust me," she said, admonishing me as if we were at a fancy dress party and I had just insulted a waiter's bow tie. (Long story. Yes, it did happen once. But only once. Come on, I was five.)

I nodded, my mouth dry. "Okay," I managed, my brown eyes wide. "But what about the Watch-"

"Watchtower has been compromised," she answered, her voice quick and shaky. "Connor, you have to run. Get out of there now. They've found you."

And then the feed was cut. My breathing came out shattered as I grabbed my jacket from the coat rack. My eyes rested for a fraction of a second on my archer's bow, but I thought better of it. I looked back at the living room one last time before I shut the door and faced the cold.

Shivering, I zipped up my green jacket and pulled on the hood. I looked around…there didn't seem to be anyone. Smiling grimly, I picked up a pair of my sunglasses that rested on the porch. After a moment of hesitation, I put them in my pocket and began to run.

I didn't know exactly where Queen's Star City Towers were, but I headed in the direction of the deep city. I would make my way from there.

As I stopped to catch my breath a little later, I scanned the area. This time, I knew that someone was close. I could nearly feel his breath on my neck. It was a full second before I realized that I wasn't imagining it. I turned around, coming face-to-face with a guy that was a whole foot taller than me, and probably three times my weight.

"Holy…shit…" I managed, before chickening out and running again, forgetting my previous tiredness. But there was another man standing in my way. He looked somewhat familiar…but I couldn't place it.

His face stayed hidden in the shadows until he reached out an arm, wrapping it around my neck. My eyesight fuzzy, I struggled not to pass out. I tried to force us under a street light…at least I'd try to ID my captor before I fell unconscious. But I concentrated on the hold he had on me…I'd felt that grip before.

As I finally got to a lighted area, I looked up, but I couldn't make out a clear picture…everything was a blur. I shook my head, and my eyes became clear enough for me to see who it was that was choking me.

"No…" I breathed, trying to force his grip off my neck. "It can't be…" But I never finished my thought, because I felt the pressure on my neck loosen. I was pinned on the ground, and I barely had time to register the needle that penetrated my skin before everything faded into darkness.

-SMALLVILLE-

Did any of you think that this was good? I dunno, I seem to be having problems trusting in my writing lately, so I'd like to hear from my fellow _Smallville_ fans.

Can't wait for September the 24th!

William D. J. Watson


	2. I Meet Tess Mercer

Hey there again, my fellow _Smallville_ fans! I know that I should've been keeping up with this story...and I really haven't been, so I want to say that I'm really sorry.

I also need to say that since I wrote this before the events of "Fortune," Oliver and Chloe never married in this story. But she did leave and get a job at the Star City Register, so...yeah. I mean, you can interpret it as if they got married, and then split, but whatever floats your boat. I also wrote this before the whole "OMFG Tess is a Luthor" thing, so I added quite a bit of pseudo-hostility on Connor's part here.

Thanks for reading, and please enjoy chapter 2!

-THE FINAL SEASON-

**Previously in **_**Bequest**_**…**

_I didn't know exactly where Queen's Star City Towers were, but I headed in the direction of the deep city. I would make my way from there. _

_As I stopped to catch my breath a little later, I scanned the area. This time, I knew that someone was close. I could nearly feel his breath on my neck. It was a full second before I realized that I wasn't imagining it. I turned around, coming face-to-face with a guy that was a whole foot taller than me, and probably three times my weight. _

"_Holy…shit…" I managed, before chickening out and running again, forgetting my previous tiredness. But there was another man standing in my way. He looked somewhat familiar…but I couldn't place it. _

_His face stayed hidden in the shadows until he reached out an arm, wrapping it around my neck. My eyesight fuzzy, I struggled not to pass out. I tried to force us under a street light…at least I'd try to ID my captor before I fell unconscious. But I concentrated on the hold he had on me…I'd felt that grip before._

_As I finally got to a lighted area, I looked up, but I couldn't make out a clear picture…everything was a blur. I shook my head, and my eyes became clear enough for me to see who it was that was choking me._

"_No…" I breathed, trying to force his grip off my neck. "It can't be…" But I never finished my thought, because I felt the pressure on my neck loosen. I was pinned on the ground, and I barely had time to register the needle that penetrated my skin before everything faded into darkness..._

-THE FINAL SEASON-

I woke up to my face scraping the floor, my body flat against the dirty ground. Hearing a subtle movement from the other side of…this…thing that seemed to be like a jail cell, I kept my emerald eyes shut. If someone was going to kill me…let them get it over with and leave my thin, unsuspecting, lifeless body to rot in this unknown place. But as footsteps grew closer to me and my eyes remained closed, my heart beating traitorously under my pale skin, a hand…simply a soft, gentle hand…grabbed hold of my wrist and felt for a pulse. After I could tell that whoever it was found it; was sure I was still alive, I felt my body being turned over. I swallowed and tried to sit up, and all of a sudden, I felt a sharp sting on my cheek. My eyes opened in shock, and my hand reached up, only to draw away with a red liquid that I recognized as my own blood on my fingers.

A soft voice, a woman's voice, asked me, "Are you all right?"

I groaned and nodded, running my other hand through my hair.

"I think so."

I squinted, and though my eyes were only slowly focusing, I could tell that her hair was a deep red and the blurry orbs that were her eyes were a deep green. A forest green.

"What happened?" she asked, taking my hand as I stood up shakily. She led me over to a grimy cot on the other side of the room and I sat down, just as my eyes adjusted to the lighting (or lack thereof). It did indeed look like a jail cell. The walls were stained with dirt and there was a tin on a wobbly table that once held something reminiscent of food.

I blinked. What exactly_ had_ happened? Why was I here? Where was here, anyway? "I'm not sure," I finally said. "I was…told to run…I did…wasn't fast enough. Mom told me" – I coughed – "Star City towers…not fast enough." I rubbed my eyes and looked at the woman whose eyes were glistening with sadness. And in a second, I recognized her. She seemed so damn familiar…I'd seen her before. "Who…are you?"

"Tess Mercer," was her only response. And that was enough. I knew that name. I did. From my mother's files at Watchtower. I brushed dirt off my sweatshirt and frowned.

"Tess…Mercer?" I repeated, testing the name on my lips. She nodded, continuing to frown at me.

"But you're so young," she said, straightening her posture, causing her red locks to tumble down her shoulders. "What are_ you_ doing here?" I shrugged and looked around the cell dismissively.

"I heard they had nice scenery."

Tess snorted. She had a pretty face, a sad smile, and a concerned and quiet disposition that somehow told me that she knew a whole lot more about what was going on, and for whatever reason, had decided to keep me in the dark. "Seriously, though," she continued. "Why?"

I shrugged again and wrapped my arms around my legs, hugging them to my chest. "I wish I knew." I knew Tess could tell that I was giving her a sincere answer, and it wasn't something that she had expected from me. She thought that she was expected to comfort me, and she didn't know at all how to deal with a kid my age. For a moment, I was sorry for her, such a beautiful woman…destined to be alone, because…(And I wasn't supposed to know this…) she was a Luthor by blood. "I mean…" Well, after all, did I know why I was here? Didn't I? "I do. But I don't know who or what we're dealing with."

"You know…what, then, exactly?" Tess asked me, her eyebrows raised.

My face burned in embarrassment. Just saying 'I dunno if I'm supposed to tell…' made me sound like a five-year-old who was telling his friend a secret. But what else could I say? So I told her exactly that. "But…" I looked at Tess warily, but her stoic expression remained.

"But what?"

I realized at once that I had said too much. I looked away, feeling my pale cheeks heating up again. I may have just compromised my mother's identity…to a _Luthor_, of all people. She must have noticed my body trembling, because she asked me what was wrong.

"My mother's here," I blurted out before I could help it, sounding like I wasn't much older than seven. "I think. But I don't know where." My mind seemed to be running in overdrive, just like a corrupted file or an arrow that I'd overshot or lost control of. "And you're here…I've read about you in her files! All of this is connected…and I have no idea how!"

She studied me with sympathy, but of course, how would she know what it feels like to lose a mother?

_The long-lost Luthor had been raised in an orphanage, after all, _I recalled wryly.

"You're usually the one to figure things out," Tess said suddenly. "Now you can't. And…and that scares you."

I looked up at her, surprised by her sincerity and sweet tone. Were Luthors not supposed to be controlling and totalitarian? But then…I realized that she was stuck here just as well as I…how could something like this be happening? "Yeah…I guess," I said, a frown returning to my features. "From Mom's files…I imagined you differently."

"Your mom's files…" She laughed nervously, but despite the faint anxiety, her laughter was warm, and…it was a good thing. It was…beautiful. "Who's your mother again?"

And as I looked at Tess…I knew…I just knew…that telling the truth would be the right way to go. "Chloe Sullivan." And her eyes did not widen, but she simply nodded in understanding, as if she had known all along who I was. And I hadn't even told her my own name. Did I really look that much like my mother? Or did Tess also know something about my unknown father?

"Ah," was her response. "The 'Watchtower' of the Justice League, yes?" I stared at her in horror, my green eyes bulging. There was no way – Tess was a Luthor! Luthors were the enemies of the League!

"How could you possibly-"

"Your mom and I go way back," she said simply. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Why, you think I can't handle it?" I asked, my voice accusing. Tess Mercer barely knew me, and now she was presuming I truly was my mother's son? She was already judging me on my parents, on those who came before me. And I still didn't know who she thought (or knew) my father was. I mean, who the hell does that?

She ignored me, as I knew she would, but instead, she started to talk. "Though…I don't seem to remember her ever having a son," Tess said, studying my blond hair carefully. "So you really must be just a boy…who are you?" The last question caught me off-guard. Had I not already said who I was?

"I'm sixteen," I said shortly. "My name is Connor Robert Sullivan. I was born on May 24, 2012. I am a third-degree black belt, practicing archer, high school award-winning journalist, and a computer-savvy nerd on my free time." I said all this very fast, and was left to take a deep breath. I exhaled, coughing. "Any questions?"

Tess stared at me for a moment, before laughing quietly. "Why archery?"

I shrugged. No one had ever asked me that before. "…I dunno, really. I guess…I figured…if I was going to learn some sort of weaponry…why not that? It's always useful to have good aim."

She laughed again and nodded in agreement. (Jesus, her laughter was a beautiful sound.) "I suppose you're right," Tess responded. "So, following your Mom as a journalist?"

I frowned. I knew that Mom had been an aspiring journalist for years before I was born, but as she became more involved in the Justice League…the flame died out and appeared in my Aunt (err…second cousin), Lois Lane. But once Mom moved to Star City, she got a job at the Register, the paper that the city mainly followed. But even then, I never thought of journalism as something in my blood. When I was young, I spent a lot of time with Clark and Lois at the Daily Planet, and I guess I always figured that was where it came from. So…that was pretty much what I told Tess. I shook my head distractedly. Why the hell was this Luthor woman (though something told me that she was on our side) asking me questions about myself? Why did she care? I shouldn't have even been talking to her…much less answering questions in the deepest and most careful manner I ever had.

But, and I smiled wryly at the thought, since when had I ever done what I was told?

-THE FINAL SEASON-

This is unusual for me, but I am supremely proud of how I did on this chapter. So please tell me if that's just my narcissism kicking in again and it really, really sucked, and Tess was OOC, and Connor was completely not how you imagined him...and I can go on, and on, and on...

Er, anyway, please, leave me a review. It was the amount of reviews for this story in the first place that made me feel bad for the people that had enjoyed the first chapter, which forced me to sit down and finally type up the second chapter.

Thanks, you guys!


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